


Something's Brewing

by tinyarmedtrex



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: (total charmer), Adam is tired and just wants coffee, Fluff and flirting, M/M, Ronan is working and just wants to flirt, and just a dash of misunderstanding, barista!ronan, bc we need a little drama, coffee shop AU, law school student Adam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:08:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24371068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinyarmedtrex/pseuds/tinyarmedtrex
Summary: Adam usually avoids the local coffee shop. The first time he goes in he meets an insulting barista that he can't seem to forget.
Relationships: Ronan Lynch & Adam Parrish, Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Comments: 28
Kudos: 250
Collections: TRC/ CDTH Prompt Week 2020





	Something's Brewing

Adam had exactly fifteen minutes before his next class started and had decided that that was certainly enough time to go get coffee. Con Law was somehow both the most boring and the hardest of his classes and he needed to be awake for it. 

That was how he found himself in line at a local coffee shop. He’d never been here before- he had a strict rule about not spending money on things he could make at home for less- but desperate times called for desperate measures. 

He was third in line and was starting to get nervous, glancing up at the clock on the wall every few seconds. The people in front of him seemed to have the world’s most complicated orders and he knew he needed at least three minutes to walk to class, five if he didn’t want to be out of breath when he got there. He’d be cutting it close. 

“Hey Freckles, what do you want?” 

Adam’s head whipped back to the cash register, seeing that the angry looking barista was talking to him. Somehow the other people had melted away and he was next.

“Small dark roast coffee. Black,” he said, grabbing the handful of change from his pocket as he stepped up. 

The guy looked from Adam to the change. “You know you can make that shit at home.”

“I’m aware. How much?” He started stacking quarters while the guy poured. 

The barista shook his head. “Just take it.”

“I can pay,” Adam spat, his hackles rising. “Just because it’s in change doesn’t make it any less valuable.” He looked into the guy’s eyes, expecting to see pity but only finding amusement. 

“It’s the bottom of the pot that we brewed hours ago. I was going to toss it and make a new one. If you wanna wait, I’ll charge you for that.” 

Adam debated, shifting his weight. There was no way he could wait without being late but the thought of a hand out didn’t sit right with him.

“If you’re determined to pay, you throw that valuable change in here,” the guy said, pointing to the tip jar that had a small ‘good tippers make great lovers’ sign taped to it.

Adam snorted, giving himself a second to finally look the other man over. Black tank top and ripped jeans, an eyebrow piercing and whispers of a tattoo poking out from under his shirt collar. He was not someone Adam would have expected to find in a coffee shop but somehow he didn’t look out of place. The cheery blue apron helped. 

“Because I’ve had  _ such  _ good customer service.” 

The guy shrugged, still watching Adam. “Whatever, man. Look, are you gonna take this or am I throwing it down the drain?”

In the end, stinginess won out over pride. Adam shoved the quarters back in his pocket but threw the other change in the tip jar before taking the coffee. Then he went to the small island of add-ons and threw sugar and cinnamon in it, stirring as vigorously as he could to make it dissolve. When he looked up, the barista had followed him, pretending to wipe a table.

“If you come in this time on other days it’ll be free too. This is when we throw out the old shit,” the guy whispered, like he was sharing a grand secret. 

Adam’s mouth opened and closed. He had no idea how he was supposed to respond. Just because he took the hand out once didn’t mean he wanted it other days, but on the other hand, free coffee was very appealing. 

“Um, thanks?” he said, glancing at the clock again. Four minutes. “I gotta go to class. Con Law. It’s awful.” He didn’t know why he was explaining himself to this guy. From the guy’s expression he was wondering the same thing.

“Well. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow, Con Law.”

“Not my name!” Adam replied as he hurried out. By the time he got to class his heart was thumping against his ribs in a way that had nothing to do with his light jog.

He didn’t return to the coffee shop the next day due to a combination of being too busy and not knowing if he actually should. Plus, he couldn’t get the guy’s intense eyes out of his head. Whatever he was offering Adam didn’t have time to accept. It was probably better to stay away. 

That thought lasted for two more days, when he found himself getting ready for Con Law and out of coffee. He stared at the empty bag, angry with himself for running out. He had two options. Go without coffee- and probably fall asleep- or visit the shop again. It wasn’t really a contest.

“Con Law!” the guy shouted as Adam walked in, making several other customers look at him. Adam felt a blush rise to his cheeks and he rushed to the counter.

“That’s not my name,” he said firmly. Somehow in the time that had passed Adam had forgotten how sharp the guy’s cheekbones were, how soft his lips looked. 

The guy grinned. “It’ll have to do until I know your real one.” 

Adam hesitated, somehow doubting that anything good could come from this. “Adam,” He finally offered. 

“Ronan.” The other man was already turning, getting Adam a medium coffee. 

“I don’t need-” 

“It’s going down the drain man, I told you,” Ronan said, thrusting it into Adam’s hands. “The pastries too.” Ronan threw a thumb to the ‘day old baked goods’ basket next to him. “We can’t sell them past noon.”

“It’s only 11:40.” Maybe Adam had shown up earlier this time so he could talk to Ronan. Maybe. 

“I’m not expecting a last minute rush for old bear claws. Wednesdays are our slowest days.” 

Adam knew what Ronan was offering. And he wanted to accept. He didn’t know the last time he’d had a croissant or a muffin. The three pastries would be his breakfast for days, a break from the oatmeal he forced himself to eat. But it felt different, taking the pastries. Coffee was one thing but these had weight, heft.

“Why are you being nice to me?” hHe finally asked, looking back at Ronan. The man certainly didn’t look like someone who went around helping orphans. 

“Because you’re the most interesting person who’s walked in here in weeks.” 

Adam’s eyebrows shot up. It certainly wasn’t what he was expecting, but it wasn’t charity either. 

Ronan continued. “Most people order pretentious drinks and barely look at us. Fucking law school students.” 

Adam opened his mouth to say that he was one of those students but Ronan waved him off. “Yea, I know. I got it from the ‘Con Law’ comment. But you aren’t like them. I dunno. Sue me, I wanted to talk to someone who didn’t look like they had a stick up their ass.”

Adam smiled into his coffee. It was rare to meet someone quite so blunt. He liked it. “I can’t sue you yet, I’m only in my second year.”

He was rewarded with a hearty laugh, one that he didn’t want to admit how much he liked. He wanted to stay and talk more but knew he couldn’t.

“I have class.”

“Con Law. I remember,” Ronan replied, still smiling at him. He picked up the blueberry muffin Adam had been eyeing and threw it to him. “Consider it a bribe.” 

Adam caught it, his mouth already watering. “I’ll be back,” he promised, surprised that he really meant it. 

“I’ll be here.” 

He felt Ronan’s eyes on his back as he left the store and it made him smile. 

Over the next month he went back to the shop several times a week. Every time Ronan would somehow convince him to take a coffee and a baked good or three, even though Adam insisted he didn’t need it. It had come to be one of his favorite activities, visiting Ronan, both of them coyly flirting with the other. It was a welcome break from law school and work and he liked the sharpness of Ronan’s smile. 

The only issue was that Ronan hadn’t asked him out yet and Adam couldn’t figure out why. He was clearly interested- unless Adam was really misreading things. Adam was flirting back. He’d even taken Ronan’s hand the other day, holding it while pretending to examine his bracelets when really he was watching how deeply Ronan blushed. It didn’t make sense.

The longer it went on the more he wondered if he had misinterpreted everything. Maybe Ronan did just feel sorry for him. Maybe he was that pitiful, to think that Ronan’s charity was flirting.

That was the mood he brought to a Friday night party. He hadn’t wanted to go but Gansey, his closest friend and classmate, had insisted that he leave his dorm. He wanted Adam to meet his new girlfriend. Finally Adam had agreed, mentally giving himself two hours off. After that he would go back to his dorm room and sleep. 

An hour into the party and he was pleasantly buzzed, talking to his classmates about the contracts midterm, when he felt a tap on his back. He turned, seeing Gansey hand in hand with an eccentric looking woman. The two looked so strange together that they swung back to looking perfect. It helped that Gansey had a huge, lovesick grin on his face as he introduced her as Blue.

“Nice to meet you,” Adam said, shaking her hand. 

“You too!” Her voice was raised to carry over the party. “You need to meet Ronan, too.”

Adam stilled. What were the odds that it was his Ronan? It couldn’t be a very common name.

A second later his question was answered as the Ronan he knew very well strode over, a beer in one hand. Adam had never pictured him without an apron and now realized what a fool he’d been to ignore what was underneath. His shirt was tucked into his jeans and Adam stared for a second too long at his long, lean body, at the muscles he knew were under that shirt. 

He suddenly regretted drinking so much.

“Parrish?” Ronan asked, looking as shocked as him.

“Hey.” He gave a feeble wave as Gansey and Blue gaped at them.

“Wait- that’s Adam- the one you-” Blue started, only to find Ronan’s hand covering her mouth. 

“How are you two acquianted?” Gansey asked, confused. 

“He works at Uncommon Grounds,” Adam explained, still watching Ronan. He didn’t feel guilty, though; Ronan was watching him just as carefully.

“Let me get you a new drink,” Ronan said, pointing to Adam’s empty cup. Adam didn’t really want anything else but he did want to be alone with Ronan so he nodded. He could practically feel Blue and Gansey’s eyes on him as they left the crowded room, going into the kitchen.

“How do you know Blue?” Adam asked, watching Ronan pump the keg. He’d never thought something like that could be sexy but watching Ronan’s arm muscles was one of the most erotic things he’d ever seen. 

“We’re old friends. I can’t get rid of her,” Ronan said, handing him a cup. Their fingers brushed and Adam swore that the temperature rose several degrees. 

“Gansey and I met the first day of class,” Adam explained even though Ronan hadn’t asked. “He sat next to me and started telling me everything he knew about medieval common law.”

Ronan laughed and the sound made Adam smile. Then Ronan tilted his head towards the door. “Wanna go outside? It’s fucking loud in here.”

It wasn’t, but Adam wasn’t going to argue. He nodded, following Ronan outside. The cool air sobered him up some and he sipped his beer as they stood, the sounds of the party giving them background noise.

“It’s nice to see that sometimes you relax,” Ronan said, looking him over. “You always seem so wound up when you come in.” 

Adam decided not to mention the timer he’d set, reminding him to leave the party. “It’s nice to see you without an apron.”

“The blue brings out my eyes, though,” Ronan joked.

Adam turned to look at him, meeting Ronan’s eyes. “They do just fine without it.” 

Ronan grinned, taking a step in. “You aren’t so bad yourself, Parrish.”

There it was again. The easy flirting. The give and take that never led to anything. Adam realized he was just drunk enough to ask why. 

“Why haven’t you asked me out?” he blurted out.

Ronan’s face shifted to shock and he took a step back, not replying. 

“I mean- shit. You flirt with me. You give me old pastries. You remember my class schedule. I thought- fuck- did I read this wrong? I read this wrong.” His face burned with embarrassment and he turned, about to disappear back inside when a hand grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

“Yea. I gave you coffee. The next move was on you,” Ronan said, dropping Adam’s hand nearly as quickly as he’d grabbed it and stepping back. “I assumed you weren’t interested.” He shrugged, trying and failing to convey nonchalance. 

Adam turned back, his mouth hanging open. “You were waiting for me?” 

“Duh,” Ronan said as he took a drink of his beer, looking uncomfortable. 

A million things went through Adam’s mind, memories shifting as he re-evaluated what they meant. Then he realized it didn’t matter. Ronan was standing in front of him, waiting for Adam to make a move.

So he did. He moved in closer to Ronan, his hand grazing over Ronan’s buzzed hair like he’d dreamed of doing many times. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for months,” Adam admitted. 

“Then what are you waiting for?” Ronan teased. 

Adam shook his head, deciding that it wasn’t worth a comeback. Instead he pressed his mouth to Ronan’s, tilting his head so they connected perfectly. Ronan kissed him back, his hand finding Adam’s hip and holding him close. Ronan tasted like beer and coffee and it was completely intoxicating.

Soon Adam was parting his lips, pressing Ronan against a tree as he deepened the kiss. A small part of him screamed he was going too fast but mostly it felt like he was making up for lost time. Ronan seemed to agree, kissing Adam back just as eagerly, a small groan occasionally slipping from his lips. 

They were still kissing when Adam’s alarm went off, his phone beeping insistently. Adam broke the kiss to turn it off, seeing Ronan’s grin. “Do you need to leave before you turn into a pumpkin?” he asked. 

“Something like that.” He already missed Ronan’s lips on his. “Do you want to come back to my apartment?” he asked, then, realizing how it sounded, added, “To talk or whatever.” 

Ronan shook his head. “I’ve got the six am shift tomorrow. I should get home.”

“Now who’s a pumpkin?” Adam teased, trying not to be disappointed. 

Ronan’s grin made his heart flip. “Some of us need sleep, Parrish. We can’t all survive on coffee and day old pastries.” 

Adam nodded but neither of them made any attempt to move. Adam wasn’t sure if the next move was his or Ronan’s until Ronan stepped in, kissing his cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow, right? I’ll save you a good muffin.” 

Now it was Adam’s turn to smile. “Can’t wait.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Who doesn't love a good coffee shop AU??  
> Come talk to me about pynch and what strange concoction Ronan would drink on tumblr- [tinyarmedtrex](https://tinyarmedtrex.tumblr.com/)


End file.
